Wish Upon a Star
by a novelist
Summary: Beck is throwing a party, and the entire school is invited. But what happens when one of Hollywood Arts' most talented students disappears just outside the party?
1. December

Hey, everyone! So, this is my first attempt at a Victorious fanfiction. I'm used to writing crime stories for the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew fanfiction, but I'm going to try my very best to add some humorous parts to this story. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the first chapter. Good or bad, I'd love to know what you think.

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the plot.

* * *

Hollywood Arts at its finest.

Several students gathered in the main entrance with their instruments; their music traveled throughout the school. While some students continued on to their class, others lingered a little longer as they admired the music. It was a cheerful environment for students and staff alike.

The school was completely unrecognizable compared to how it had been only a few weeks before, when a very talented student disappeared, and her friends became involved in the biggest betrayal of their lives.

* * *

"Trina, come on already. We're going to be late."

"Alright, alright, I'm coming. Chill out, Tori."

It was a cold, December evening on a Saturday night. Beck had announced the day before that everyone was invited to his party, which he was having apparently just because he could. Jade, of course, made it a point to send a complete death glare at Tori. Tori had, of course, ignored it, and was now dressed in a casual black evening dress with pumps and a diamond earrings to top the outfit off. Her dark hair was curled and fell loosely at her shoulders. There was no denying it: she looked drop-dead gorgeous.

Trina finally came downstairs wearing the shortest dress Tori had ever seen, accompanied by her new Fuzzini boots. Tori rolled her eyes.

"Is that really appropriate?" she asked.

"Um, yeah. You know I can't go out in public without my Fuzzini boots. They –"

"Not the boots; the dress."

"What? Is it too long? Too formal?"

"Too _short,_" Tori replied dryly. "It barely goes past your butt."

Trina placed her hands firmly on her hips. "Since when did you become my mother?"

"Just – just come on. We're going to be late."

The party was already going strong when they arrived. They had barely walked through the door before they heard someone squeal. "Tori!"

Tori turned just in time to see Cat running up to her. She was almost knocked over by the impact of her hug. "You made it!" Cat exclaimed.

"Hey, Cat. Yeah, we're here. How's it going?"

"Great! I'm so excited for Beck to open his present."

"You...do know this isn't a birthday party, right?"

"I know."

"So what did you get him?"

"Lemons."

Tori raised her eyebrows. "Lemons?"

"Mm-hm. That way he can make lemonade whenever he wants to. See?" she held out two lemons, each wrapped in bright yellow wrapping paper.

"You didn't even put them in a box or bag? You just wrapped the lemons?" Tori asked.

"When I was little, we used to shake our presents to guess what was in them before we opened them. We did that every year, until last year I got a Precious Moments figurine." Her expression turned sad.

"I'm sorry, Cat."

"That's okay. This way Beck won't have to guess what his presents are by shaking the box; it'll save him the trouble.

"That's very…ingenious, Cat."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean it's a great gift. I think he'll love it." Tori looked around. "Let's see who else is already here."

They pushed their way through the crowded room. In one corner of the room sat Robby and Rex; they were obviously deeply involved in another argument. Sinjin was standing guard at the main entrance, stopping every guest and trying to sell them some questionable gum. They took the long way around to the DJ table, where Andre was playing the part of DJ. "Hey, Tori. Lil Red. What's up?"

"The usual," Tori replied.

"Trina made you late again?" Tori nodded. "That figures."

"Are you DJ all night?"

"Yeah. Beck couldn't find anyone else to do it, so I agreed."

"Do you think you could maybe steal a dance or two?"

Andre smiled. "You're on." He picked up his microphone. "Sinjin! You're up."

"All right!" Sinjin rushed up to the DJ station and nearly pushed Andre out of the way in his excitement. Before Andre could stop him, Sinjin changed the CD. A moment later, Disco music filled the air.

"Kill the Disco!" Jade shouted instantly.

"You can't kill Disco!" Sinjin replied.

"It's you or the Disco, Sinjin. Make your choice!"

Tori shook her head. Andre took her hand and led her to the center of the dance floor.

She danced like never before, completely letting herself relax. It wasn't until the song had ended that she realized they were the only couple on the dance floor. Everyone else stood around them, watching. They applauded afterward. Tori blushed and Andre grinned.

"And you thought you didn't have talent," he said.

She opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off my her sister's outcry. "Tori Vega!"

The crowd turned and quickly moved away, unwilling to become a victim of Trina's ridiculous outbursts.

Tori groaned. Trina was storming toward her as fast as she could in high-heeled boots. "What now, Trina? I'm in the middle of –"

"I left my Gucci purse in the car."

"And that matters to me why?"

"I need it. How am I supposed to show myself off if I don't have my new, super expensive purse with me?"

"Then go get it."

"Tori, you know I can't leave. I am a popular girl. What if someone important comes? I've got to be here." She placed the keys in Tori's hand. "Be a _doll_ and go get it for me, will you?"

Tori groaned but said, "Fine." She turned to Andre. "I'll be right back, alright?"

"Do you want me to go with you?" Andre asked.

Tori shook her head. "I'll be fine. I'll be back in a second." She headed toward the door but was stopped by Sinjin, who had turned off the music and left his position at the DJ station. He was once again stopping every guest at the door.

"Tori, have I got the deal for you. I –"

"Sinjin, I'll be right back, alright? I have to get something for Trina. I'll buy something from you then, I promise." He looked disappointed, but nodded and backed away - right into Jade. He jumped back.

"Where's the music?" Jade demanded.

"I -"

"Do something about it or I will! And you will regret it."

Tori sighed. The air had gotten colder, and the sky had gone pitch black. The wind blew roughly, causing the tree branches above to sway. Lightning lit the evening sky, followed by a loud clap of thunder. A storm was coming in quickly; she knew she had to hurry.

The car was almost a block away from Beck's party due to the lack of parking space. The street lights above offered little light. She considered turning back and telling Trina too bad, she would have to go a night without her beloved purse. But something made her keep going.

By the time she reached the car, it was pouring rain. She got in the back seat quickly and shut the door.

The purse wasn't on either of the back seats, nor was it under them. It wasn't in the front, either. Then, she remembered something Trina had said earlier. Something about security issues. They had stopped at a gas station before the party, and Trina had been worried about her purse. She hadn't wanted to take it in with the fear of someone mugging her, yet she didn't want to leave it in the car, just in case someone stole their car. "I'll put it in the trunk," she had said. "There's a secret compartment there. If someone steals the car, they'll never think to look for money in the trunk."

Tori groaned and got out of the car. She opened the trunk and lifted up the small compartment on the floor. There lay Trina's purse.

"The things I do for you," she muttered. She grabbed the purse and slammed the door shut. Before she could turn to leave, however, someone's hand slowly snaked past her shoulder. Instinctively, she froze. She immediately realized it was the wrong thing to do. Just as the hand clasped tightly over her mouth, Tori lashed out, kicking backward. Her high heel made contact with the person, and he groaned in pain. He recovered quickly, however, and grabbed one of her wrists. He twisted her arm behind her back and began to drag her. Suddenly, something her father had told her years ago rang clearly in her mind. "Never let them take you to point B. Chances are, you won't be coming back."

The thought of this sent a new rush of adrenaline through her. She continued to fight, kicking and thrashing out as hard as she could. But nothing she did could have possibly saved her from what happened next.

She felt a tiny prick as something sharp pierced her skin. Her skin immediately began to burn; the pain became unbearable. It was short lasting, however, as a moment later, she felt herself falling, faster and faster, before strong arms caught her.

She gave in to the darkness and fell into a deep sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Hi again! So I'd like to thank those that reviewed my story. I appreciate it. Next chapter's up. Enjoy! :)

A/N: in order to be factually correct to events that will happen later in the story, the group in this story is eighteen, not sixteen.

* * *

She was falling.

That was how Tori felt when she slowly woke up. The hazy darkness around her was clearing, and she soon realized that wherever she was, she was moving. She opened her eyes slowly and found herself staring at the back of a seat. She was lying across the back seat of a car.

In the front were two figures, neither of whom she recognized. She thought she caught a glimpse of gray, but the color disappeared so quickly she could have dreamt it. Faintly, she heard a man's gruff voice, but she was too drugged up to understand what they were saying. Suddenly, a soaking wet cloth was held over her nose and mouth. She smelt a sickly sweet smell, and then nothing.

* * *

"What do you mean she's missing?" Beck asked incredulously.

Andre sighed heavily. "Trina sent her after her purse half an hour ago. Trina got impatient and went looking for her – said something about 'if you want something done, you've gotta do it yourself.' Anyway, the car was gone; there was shattered glass all over, and Tori's necklace was in the middle of the road. Now, I'm no detective, but I know something's not right here."

Jade came up behind them. "What's going on?"

"Tori's missing," Beck replied.

"And I should care…why?"

"Look, Jade, this is serious. You haven't seen her at all tonight, have you?" Andre asked. He was quickly growing impatient.

"Why would I talk to _her?_" Jade took Beck's hand. "Come on. We've got a party to run." She started to pull him away, but he stopped her.

"Jade, we have to do something," he said.

The music stopped abruptly. It was only then that they realized they had drawn a crowd. Robby and Rex had even stopped their argument and were now standing by Andre's side. Cat had finally pushed her way through the crowd and was anxiously asking, "What's going on?"

"Tori's missing," Beck said.

"Missing? Where did she go?" Cat gasped.

"Cat, if we knew that, we wouldn't be in this situation right now," Beck replied.

"You're so mean!" she gasped.

"I've got to call her parents," Andre said.

"We'll split up outside," Beck said.

"Um, hello, you're just going to ignore all of your guests just because Tori decided to try some disappearing act?" Jade tugged at Beck's hand again. "We're leaving now."

Beck pulled his hand free of Jade's. "Stay if you want, but I'm going outside. Whoever's helping, let's go." Then he turned and left, leaving Jade gaping at him before storming out of the room.

* * *

Tori's parents arrived within fifteen minutes. Immediately, Mr. Vega rattling off questions. Patiently, the small remaining group answered them. When the entire story was told, Mr. Vega sighed and ran a hand through his hair wearily before turning to Trina.

"How could you let her go outside by herself?"

"Dad, she's eighteen, I thought –"

"You're her older sister, and I specifically told both of you to _stay together_ if you went anywhere other than this party. Now where were you?"

"I was at the party, okay?" Trina burst. She buried her face in her hands. "I made her go out to the car to get my purse, and then she just…disappeared."

Mr. Vega shook his head. "Did anyone call the police? Not me; the actual police department," he added when Trina opened her mouth to answer.

"We just called them." Mr. Vega turned to find Beck walking in, followed by the group of students who had been searching for Tori. "They should be here right about –"

A siren sounded in the distance.

"Now."

Within minutes, the place was swarmed by police officers. Beck, Andre, Cat, and Robby pushed their way through the crowd and made their way outside.

"She's going to be all right, isn't she?" Cat asked.

" 'Course she is. I'm sure they'll find her and she'll be back at school in no time, safe and sound," Andre replied. But even as he said this, he couldn't help feeling a bit of doubt.

"We should get going," Robby said. "It's getting late. We can call Tori's parents tomorrow to see if they've found Tori by then."

"Sounds good," Beck replied. "Thanks for coming."

"Thanks for the invite. It really was a great party. 'Til about an hour ago, I mean."

Andre rolled his eyes. "Way to not bring it up, Robby." He headed to his car. "I'll see ya'll later."

* * *

The next morning, a missing persons report was made for Tori. It was then that the reality of the situation really began to sink in with the students of Hollywood Arts.

Everything at school had literally changed overnight. No one played music in the hallways; instead, as Beck, Andre, and Cat went to Drama, the halls were unusually quiet. And instead of the normal chaos, their peers were quiet, talking only in whispers as they passed them.

He shook his head. She had to be alright. "She's coming back," he mumbled to himself. The words were soothing to him.

He was so enthralled in his own thoughts that he wasn't watching where he was walking. He literally bumped into Jade.

"Oh! I - I'm sorry, I didn't see you."

"I can't imagine why not," she replied dryly. She shoved an empty cup into his free hand. "I want water."

"Jade, class is going to start," he replied. He placed the cup back into her hand. "Just – wait."

"Fine." She turned and opened the door to Sikowitz's classroom. "Someone gets kidnapped and all of a sudden, you're a whole new person."

Before Beck could answer, someone walked in and shut the door loudly behind them. But it wasn't Sikowitz.

The newcomer was a burly man with dark hair and matching dark eyes. He glared at them all. Robby, Andre, Beck, and even Jade all exchanged glances uneasily.

This wasn't going to end well.

* * *

"Alright, listen up. My name is Mr. Hanson, and I will be your temporary teacher."

Andre raised his hand. "Um, where is Sikowitz?"

"That is confidential," he replied. "Now, according to this –" he held up a piece of paper – "you all are to continue what you have been working on. Something about the alphabet…?"

"Yeah, we know what to do," Andre said.

Beck couldn't help but feel déjà vu as he, Jade, Andre, and Cat went to the front of the room. The only difference was Tori was gone. As they waited for their sub to tell them to begin, he found his gaze going toward the door, as if at any moment Tori was going to walk into the classroom.

"Alright, let's get going. Start with the letter 'O.' And…action!"

* * *

"So what'd you think of the sub?" Andre asked.

"I think he's lost his mind," Jade replied. "He's like Sikowitz, only…worse."

The others agreed. Mr. Hanson revealed that he was recently diagnosed with a major case of obsessive compulsive disorder, which in his case involved doing everything four times perfectly before moving on to something else. He had made them go through the alphabet game a total of sixteen times within their class time, determined to get every person to go through the alphabet four times before they were allowed to get out. Needless to say, each person "accidentally" got out as soon as they got through the alphabet on their last try.

Jade had argued after their first mess up. "I'm quitting."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. I said I'm quitting. I'm not putting up with this."

Mr. Hanson stood to his full height and stepped closer to the group of friends. "I am your teacher, and you will not talk to me like this, or –"

"Or what?" Jade boldly stepped forward.

"I'll – I'll send you to the office," Mr. Hanson finished lamely.

"Really? Let me tell _you _where _you_ can go –"

Beck grabbed her and pulled her away. "Let's go over here now."

She shrugged his hand off and glared. "I'm not talking to you, either." She started to walk off, but turned last minute. "Actually, I am. Why are you so concerned about Tori?"

Beck shook his head. "This isn't the time or the place for this."

"Yes, it is. Answer my question."

"She's a friend who disappeared. If I wasn't worried about her…it just wouldn't be normal."

"There's a line between being worried as a friend and being worried as someone you really care about. Now I'm telling you right now that if you don't get this worked out, I'm leaving." When he didn't answer, she asked, "So you want to break up with me?"

"No, I just – I just need time to think things through."

Jade glared. "I'll give you all the time you need," she said. She left the room, slamming the door behind her.

Andre whistled. "That was harsh," he said.

Beck shrugged. "She'll get over it."

"And if she doesn't?"

Beck smiled. "I'm sure I'll find a way to deal with it."

* * *

When Beck arrived home, he immediately collapsed on his bed. Everything that had happened since Friday was finally catching up to him, and he felt completely drained.

Three days. Three days since Tori had gone missing. Despite everything he tried to tell himself, he knew the chances of finding her alive were lowering every minute, every hour, that she was gone. He sighed and closed his eyes.

He must have dozed off, because he was startled awake by the sound of his cell phone. He groggily sat up and looked at the caller ID. It was Robby.

"Robby, if you and Rex are having issues, call someone else. I can't deal with it right now," he answered.

"Beck, it's nothing like that. It's…worse. I think."

His heart sank as he thought of Tori. "What did they find?" he asked.

"They found her car alongside the road. They're organizing a search team. I think you should come down here."

Beck was already putting on his shoes before the words were out of Robby's mouth. He glanced at the clock. "I'll be there as soon as I can."


	3. Chapter 3

Hi! First of all, thank you all so much for all of the reviews. And I know I'm kind of being mean to Jade, especially in this chapter. It's not that I have something against her character, because I _don't_, that's just how the story is working out, unfortunately.

Also, I posted a new *blind* poll on my profile concerning this story and who the kidnapper should be. It would be great if you could check it out :) Results won't be revealed until the story is finished.

So anyway, here's the next chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

By the time Beck had arrived, half of Hollywood Arts was already present, dressed in old clothing, prepared for the search.

Andre, Cat, Robby, and Jade were standing with a small crowd of students. They were looking over the bridge at the calm waters below. Beck pushed his way through the crowd until he was standing by Jade's side. It was then that he saw it.

Tori's car was half submerged in the lake. It had apparently rolled several times before coming to a stop on its left side. The windshield was completely gone and the front half of the car was crushed. If anyone had been in the car, there was very little chance of them surviving.

Cat was crying; Robby was trying to sooth her. Even Jade stood there silently, her face very somber. All of them were quiet as the sickening feeling of fear overcame them.

"It's something else, isn't it?"

Beck turned. Andre had come up behind him. Beck shook his head. "Unbelievable," he murmured.

"The good thing is they don't think anyone was in the car. If someone was, they would have needed help getting out; they would have been trapped in the car. By the looks of the car though," he added, "I'd be surprised if someone would make it out even _with_ help."

"Why would someone ditch her car?"

Andre shrugged. "Why would they kidnap her in the first place? There's no reasoning to any of this." They both turned their gaze back to the car. "Her parents received a ransom call this afternoon," Andre said.

"So they know she's still alive?"

"No. They refused to let the Vegas talk to Tori, which is why they've organized a search team. The police think the kidnappers may take the ransom money Friday and skip town, with or without following through with their end of the deal. They're debating whether to even pay the ransom since there's no proof Tori is alive."

"That seems pretty risky," Beck commented.

"It's just an idea. They're getting details worked out now."

Suddenly, a detective approached them. "I need a group to search the western part of the woods and especially alongside the lake. If you find anything at all, report it immediately. Got it?" The group nodded. "Alright. Head out."

* * *

The room Tori woke up in was dark. There was only one window which allowed a small sliver of the setting sun in. She tried to sit up, but couldn't; her wrists and ankles were bound. She wasn't sure where she was, or who was or wasn't with her, but at that moment, she knew she had to escape. She also knew she didn't have much to lose. She did the only thing she could think of. As loud as she could, she screamed for help.

For a full minute, Tori screamed and struggled against her bonds. Suddenly, the door burst open, the light was turned on, and she found herself staring down the barrel of a gun.

"You – shut your mouth before I shut it for you. You don't need to be drawing attention to yourself," a man's gruff voice said.

More footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs. A moment later, someone very familiar stepped out of the darkness and into the room.

"You! _You_ kidnapped me?" Tori asked incredulously. She shook her head. "I always knew there was something crazy about you."

Her captor ignored the comment. "Don't worry. We'll be getting rid of her soon. Tori," he said, turning his attention back to her, "how nice to see you awake. We were starting to worry about you."

"You? Worried about me? I doubt it."

"Of course we were worried." The man with the gun smiled. "We wouldn't want to overdose the money."

Tori narrowed her eyes. "My dad is a cop. You won't get away with this," she said.

"Ah, but we will. And as long as you don't pull something off like you just tried to, you'll live to see the day we make our escape. " The gunman glanced at his watch before turning to his accomplice. "We've got to get going. What should we do with her for now?"

"We're probably pretty safe with gagging her. I don't think it'll be necessary to drug her again." He turned to Tori. "Right?"

She nodded silently.

"Good. Now hurry up; we're going to be late."

* * *

The city-wide search lasted several hours. By the time they were finished, they had crawled through bushes, pushed their way through branches, and even gone knee-deep into the cold, mucky water. Robby got an allergic reaction after getting bit by an unidentified insect and Jade had broken out in a rash after her encounter with poison ivy. In the end, they had come up with a single earring, an old sweatshirt, and a bracelet – nothing to bring them closer to finding Tori.

"Well, this was a waste of time," Jade said. She scratched furiously at her skin. "I swear, if those kidnappers don't kill Tori, I will when I get my hands on her."

"Jade, no one made you come here. Quit complaining," Beck snapped.

"There's got to be something here, or at least somewhere close. They couldn't have dumped her car and not left anything behind," Andre said.

The five friends stopped at the riverbank and took a seat. The sun had set, and the brilliant shine of the full moon lit the sky. One by one, stars became visible.

"My mom always told me all of the stars in the sky represent angels," Andre said. "All of the angels in Heaven can be seen as they watch over those of us still on Earth."

"Let's hope one of the angels is watching over Tori," Beck said.

For a long moment, they sat there in complete silence, lost in thought. Suddenly, Cat pointed up at the sky. "Look! A shooting star. Make a wish!"

Beck's gaze went to the evening sky as he wished with all his heart that Tori would come home soon.

* * *

Tori woke up to the sound of a door slamming shut, followed by arguing – very loud arguing. But instead of hearing two men's voices, she heard a man and a woman's voice. She sounded furious.

"I told you fifty grand or we walk. _That was the deal!_"

"Twenty-five thousand is better than what we were going to get - _nothing_," the man's voice replied.

"I knew going into business with you was a bad idea," the woman snarled angrily. The door slammed shut again, and all became silent.

Tori shook her head. She was definitely in the middle of something more than a kidnapping job. It almost sounded as if they were working for someone.

She tried to shift her sitting position. The process that should have taken a few seconds took several minutes. She sighed and allowed her gaze to go to the window. The moon was fully visible now, its bright light flowing across the floor. From where she was sitting, Tori could see a single star.

_The sky was midnight blue. The moon and the stars were the only things lighting the sky. The air was cool and the night calm. It was perfect. _

"_It's so beautiful out here," Tori said. _

"_I knew you'd like it." Andre smiled. "Hollywood Arts students come here a lot on the weekends. I come here when I need to chill out, take a break from things." _

"_It's definitely a great place to relax," she replied. She sighed. "There are so many stars."_

"_I know. My mom used to tell me all of the stars in the sky were angels up in Heaven, coming out to watch over us all."_

"_That's an interesting way to look at it."_

_They lay on the blanket in silence for a long time, enjoying the moment. Suddenly, Tori broke the silence. "Look – a shooting star."_

"_Yeah. Make a wish."_

_Tori grinned. "Aren't we a little old for that?" _

_Andre returned the grin. "You're never too old to wish on a shooting star." _

Tori sighed. Wishing upon a shooting star truly did seem cliché and childish to her, but she did know something that could never be outgrown, and never failed her.

She closed her eyes and silently prayed.

* * *

It was nearly midnight by the time Beck finally made it back to his home. He took a shower before going straight to bed, only to be interrupted, once again, by the telephone.

"Ugh, go away," he groaned. He didn't answer it, and a moment later, his phone went silent. He sighed and closed his eyes. Less than a minute later, his cell phone went off again. He snatched it up and answered it. "Hello?"

"We need to talk."

"Jade, it's so late. We should talk tomorrow."

"No. We can talk about this now. I'm sick of Tori being the center of attention all of a sudden. And you – why would you –"

"Jade, hang on. Someone else is calling."

"Don't hang up on me, Beck Oliver, or –"

He switched to his other line. "Beck here. What's up?"

"Beck, something terrible just happened! Are you awake?"

He rolled his eyes. "Of course, Cat, or I wouldn't be talking to you. Now calm down and tell me what happened."

"Tori's parents called. The police found a body."


	4. Chapter 4

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm updating a day sooner than planned since it's the holidays. That and I'm excited to post another chapter :) So this is kind of long. Sorry. I tried to cut it down, but it didn't really work. Anyway, I hope you enjoy! :) And don't worry. This is going to end happy. Just keep that in mind when you read, please.

Thanks for all your reviews so far!

* * *

Their drama classroom was deathly quiet the next afternoon. Students sat in their chairs like zombies, waiting for class to start. Even Sikowitz was silent as he entered the room. His face was haggard as he walked to the front of the room and cleared his throat.

"Drive by acting exercise. You're all characters in a fairy tale. Action!"

As the class began their improv, Tori's friends couldn't help notice that their teacher wasn't acting like his normal – well, by his standards – self. He paced the small stage, obviously deep in thought. After several minutes, he called them to a stop.

"Alright, everyone take your seats." Sikowitz sighed heavily. "Before we begin, I'm supposed to remind everyone that Lane is willing to talk to anyone who feels they need counseling over everything that has been going on recently. We know this is a very difficult time for all of you, and we want to help you all through this in any way we possibly can."

More silence followed. Finally, Beck stood. "Look at us," he said. "Look at _all_ of us." His gaze went around the room. "We're mourning as if Tori is already gone."

"Why would we get our hopes up?" Robby replied. "They found a woman's body less than a mile from the lake Tori's car was found in –"

"Which hasn't been identified."

"Open your eyes, Beck, and face the facts." Jade stood and walked toward him, stopping only inches away from him. "It's been four days. Do you know the odds of finding someone alive after four days? She's not coming back. She's _dead._"

Beck placed both hands on Jade's shoulders. For a moment, their eyes met, and everyone held their breath as they waited for what happened next. Finally Beck merely sighed, shook his head, and walked toward the door.

"Beck, don't walk away from me," Jade said, following him. The door slammed shut behind them.

"Everyone else, stay here," Sikowitz said. He took his place at the front of the room again. "We've got work to do."

* * *

At lunch, Andre and Robby found Beck sitting alone at a table. He wasn't eating, but instead mostly picked at his food.

"Hey, how's it going?" Andre asked as they took a seat at his table.

Beck shrugged. "I've been better."

"I think we all have," Robby replied. "How did it go with Jade?"

"She broke up with me."

"Aw, I'm sorry," Andre said.

"It was going to happen sooner or later. This kidnapping completely tore our relationship apart." He shook his head. "Apparently you can't be worried about your kidnapped friend while you're dating someone else."

"That's Jade for you."

"So are you all ready for the assembly?" Robby asked.

"What assembly?" Andre asked.

"The school is having an assembly to see the tennis team off," Beck replied.

"Who plays tennis anymore, anyway?"

For the first time, Beck smiled. "We got away with a ping-pong league. If anything, they should be looking down on _us._"

"Except our team was for a good cause."

"What cause was that?" Robby asked.

"The cause of feeding the hungry – ourselves," Andre replied. Robby rolled his eyes.

"Where's Cat?" Beck asked suddenly. "She should have been here by now."

Andre shrugged. "She said she had something to do – something deathly important. Which could literally be anything, knowing her. She is –"

"Aaah!"

"Right here," Beck finished.

Cat ran up to their table. "I just got a text from Trina. The autopsy results are in."

Instead of continuing, Cat simply stood there, letting her mind wonder. Finally, Andre grew impatient and asked, "What did they say?"

"Oh! They weren't able to determine the actual cause of death officially since the body was completely charred, but by using dental records, they said it wasn't Tori!"

"That's great!" Andre said, then added, "Well, for Tori. Obviously not for the other girl. But that means Tori may still be alive."

"We can only pray so," Beck said. He speared a piece of lettuce but still did not eat. He finally set his fork down. "I'm going to go. I'll catch up with you later, alright?"

"Where are you going?"

Beck didn't answer, but threw his food away and left.

* * *

Five minutes later, he was standing in Sikowitz's classroom, staring out at where his classmates had sat only hours before. Outside the room, he could hear students' excited voices as they came back from lunch. The classroom, however, remained silent. His gaze fell on the chair Tori normally sat in. He sighed heavily. "Where are you, Tori?" he asked softly to the room at large.

He stepped down from the stage and took a seat in one of the empty chairs. The silence fell heavily in the room, yet he found it peaceful. Relaxing. All of the stress and worry he had been through in the past few days was building up with every minute Tori was gone, yet a little while alone made everything go away for several glorious moments.

Suddenly, the door opened. "Hey, Beck. There you are." Andre stepped into the room. He closed the door behind him. "The assembly's starting soon."

"I know. I'll be there in a minute."

Andre nodded but did not leave. Instead, he went to his friend's side and took a seat next to him. "They'll bring her home, Beck," he said.

Beck gave him a small smile. "I know." He shook his head. "I just feel so…confused." He turned to Andre. "I know it's normal to be worried, but it's more than that. I'm going crazy knowing that someone has her, and her fate is completely in their control. But it's like she's more than just a friend to me."

"Maybe you're in love," Andre said.

Beck stood and walked toward the stage again. "Come on, get serious." But as he stood in the very place he and Tori had kissed at, he couldn't help feel that Andre was right.

"I am being serious." He stood. "You know, maybe you should talk to Lane. I'm sure he'll help you sort everything out."

"I don't know. I'm sure he's got better things to worry about."

"Beck, it's his job to listen to our problems. Just give it a shot."

"Fine." Beck stepped down and walked toward the door. "Come on. Let's get out of here. "

* * *

Tori was terrified. Absolutely horrified, really. If she had thought her life had turned into a living nightmare before, it had officially turned into hell.

In the past few days, she had been kidnapped and drugged, taken to three different locations, and witnessed the murder of one of her captors. She had the worst feeling that she would be next.

She had overheard the remaining kidnappers discussing who would pick up the ransom. Once that was decided, they began planning their escape from the country.

"What if we let her go and she identifies us?"

"She'll be drugged up. By the time the effects fully wear off, we'll be out of the country."

"And if we aren't?"

"Then we'll have to find something else to do with her. It's as simple as that."

She was alone now in her cold, dark prison. She had prayed every night for a miraculous escape. For comfort, she imagined an FBI team breaking through the window in a dramatic rescue, followed by the arrest of her kidnappers. Or maybe just the right person would come to the door and somehow know to call the cops. Anything. She held on to that last strand of hope as she closed her eyes and tried to make herself comfortable. Days of stress and terror overcame her, and she suddenly felt exhausted. She fell asleep almost instantly.

* * *

"Beck. Welcome. Have a seat."

Beck closed the door and took a seat across from Lane, their guidance counselor.

"What can I do for you?"

"I need to talk to you about Tori."

Lane shifted in his chair. "Alright."

"I just –" Beck broke off. Finally, he said, "It's a long story."

The counselor sat back and smiled. "I've got time."

He then told his story. Lane listened, hanging on to every word. And by the time he was done, Beck felt that somehow, someway, everything really would turn out alright.

* * *

Thursday night, the police staked out at the Vegas, waiting for any word from Tori's kidnappers.

It was a long and stressful night – and a major disappointment when they received no phone call from the kidnappers.

"Why wouldn't they call?" Mr. Vega grumbled. "The exchange is set for tomorrow, yet we don't know when or where."

"This is exactly what the police feared would happen," Mrs. Vega said softly. "What if…what if they killed her? Maybe that's why they never called. They don't have a reason to." She turned to her husband. Tears stood in her eyes; she fought to keep them back.

Mr. Vega took a seat on the bed next to her. He put his arm around her and pulled her close. "Worrying will get us nowhere at this point," he said. "What happens to Tori is completely out of our hands. We can only pray to God for a miracle." He sighed heavily. "And as devastating as it may seem, there is always the possibility that it's time for her to finally go Home." His voice broke as he softly said, "We've got to prepare for that now."

* * *

"So I heard the kidnappers were a no-show," Andre said. He took a seat in one of the empty chairs in Sikowitz's room. The others followed suit. "I can't imagine why."

"Maybe they were scared they'd get caught," Beck said. "You know they planned to have the entire police force at hand when the exchange was supposed to happen."

"Or maybe –"

Robby was interrupted by the classroom door slamming shut. Sikowitz strode to the front of the room. Their former substitute, Mr. Hanson, followed close by. Everyone immediately became silent, sensing their teacher's foul mood.

"I have some business to take care of," Sikowitz said. "Mr. Hanson will continue our lesson from last time. I'm sorry to leave on such short notice, but I'm afraid we've got a bit of an emergency. I'll see you all tomorrow." He nodded a curt good-bye before leaving the room.

Mr. Hanson took his place at the front of the room. He smiled, but not a friendly one. Tori's friends exchanged glances. Andre raised his hand.

"Isn't there someone else that can teach our class?" he asked.

"And who would that be?" their teacher retorted.

Andre shrugged. "Anyone but you."

Mr. Hanson narrowed his eyes. "Don't test me." He turned to the class as a whole. "Drive by acting exercise. Get ready."

As their substitute thought of a prompt for them to follow, Beck's gaze once again went around the room.

Tori's chair remained empty.

* * *

"What happened?" a deep voice boomed just outside the room Tori was being kept in.

"We just had a misunderstanding, is all," another voice stuttered.

"Really? And what part didn't you understand? Did you not know how to dial a phone? Did you forget how to communicate? _What?_"

"I'm s-sorry. We'll fix it."

"You've got two hours to arrange this meeting, or you're out of the deal. Got it? Now help me get everything gathered. We've got to move again."

"They're on to us?"

"Someone's been reporting to the police; they're constantly driving by here, watching the house closely. Something's up. I'm not taking chances."

The door swung open, and Tori found herself facing her captors. They were quick and to the point. One of them held her down while the other drugged her with a strong sedative.

However, she didn't completely lose consciousness. She felt herself being carried by strong arms to a car, where she was gently laid across the back seat. The engine roared to life and the car sped away, throwing her against harshly against the seat.

"Hey! Watch your driving! We don't need to draw the cop's attention to ourselves."

"Fine. You sure do complain a lot."

"I'm your boss. Deal with it."

There was silence for the next half hour. Evening had approached, and it was completely dark outside. That is why when a pair of bright lights came right at them, Tori knew what was coming before she felt the impact.

"Watch out!" someone from the front seat yelled. But it was too late. There was a collision and a very rough jolt as Tori was thrown against the back of the driver's seat. Her head exploded with the worst pain she had ever experienced. She lost consciousness instantly.


	5. Chapter 5

So I'm suffering from writer's block. If you have any ideas, feel free to send me a private message. I'd appreciate the help :) Next chapter's up! I hope you all enjoy.

Sorry for being so depressing. This really is going to have a happy ending, I promise :)

* * *

"911, what is your emergency?"

"There's been an accident – a head-on collision. I was behind this truck, and it started to veer off to the left. Another truck was coming the opposite direction, and they collided."

"What is your location, sir?"

"We're on I-435, half mile away from exit 2B."

"Is anyone moving inside either car?"

"Not that I can see."

"Someone is being sent out right now."

* * *

An hour later, Tori's friends were waiting anxiously in the local hospital waiting room. In one corner of the room were Cat, Robby, and Rex. Cat had completely lost it shortly after they received the phone call from Tori's parents, leaving Robby to attempt to calm her.

In another corner was Andre and Beck. Both young men were pacing the floor, passing one another as they went from wall to wall. Both seemed oblivious to the world, and neither noticed when someone else came into the waiting room.

"Would you two sit down already? You look like an idiot pacing the floor back and forth like that."

Both of them stopped and turned to the newcomer.

"Jade," Beck said. "What are you doing here?"

She shrugged. "I heard they found Vega. She may've stolen my boyfriend –"

"She didn't steal your boyfriend –"

"But…I still wanted to make sure she's okay. There. I said it. Now leave me alone." She took a seat in one of the empty chairs.

Andre and Beck exchanged glances. Beck took a seat next to his former girlfriend, half expecting her to move away. She did not acknowledge him, but did not leave, either.

"I'm glad you came," he said.

"Really?"

"Yeah." Andre grinned. "At least we know you've got a heart."

"You know what…" Jade began. She stood, but Beck pulled her down before glaring at Andre. "Let's all just try to get along here. We've got bigger things to worry about. Now come on."

"So did they at least catch the kidnappers?" Jade asked. She removed her coat and hung it over the back of the chair.

"Apparently one of them bailed before the police showed up. The other is actually in the hospital right now – he was knocked unconscious when the cars hit. Guess who it is."

"It's too late for guessing games, Andre. Just tell me."

"Sikowitz."

Jade's eyes grew wide. "Sikowitz? But – but _– Sikowitz?_" She shook her head. "I always knew there was something crazy about him."

"That's for sure."

Beck glanced at the clock. "I've got to go call my parents to tell them where I am. I'll be back."

"Sounds good," Andre replied.

As Beck disappeared around the corner, Jade settled down in one of the hard-back chairs. Robby and Cat came and joined them in their silent misery. Andre sighed and walked over to one of the windows. A single star was visible through the clouds. "Wish upon a star, huh?" He scoffed. "We need a miracle now."

* * *

The next few hours were excruciating for everyone, especially Tori's family. Mr. Vega was constantly in and out of the room, talking to detectives and making phone call after phone call. His police-mode had apparently sunk in, and it seemed impossible for him to stay still.

Mrs. Vega and Trina had gone on a coffee run for those waiting. Tori's friends were had all migrated to the same part of the room, and were unsuccessfully trying to distract themselves with card games. Finally, they tired of the game and instead took to sitting in complete silence.

It was nearly midnight, and yet they all knew they still had a long night ahead of them.

* * *

The doctor emerged from the emergency room at three o'clock.

By this time, Tori's friend and family were the only ones remaining in the waiting room. Sprawled out in chairs and even on the floor, all had somehow managed to fall asleep. The doctor gently nudged Mr. and Mrs. Vega, who instantly jerked awake.

"You're here for Tori Vega?" he said.

"Yes. Yes, how is she?" Mrs. Vega asked.

Around them, Beck, Jade, Andre, and Cat were beginning to stir. The doctor waited until they were fully awake to report Tori's condition.

"She has a serious concussion – she hit her head pretty hard. She's recovering from surgery as of now. She had several cracked and some broken ribs and internal injuries, all of which have been taken care of. Her left arm appears to be broken as well. Despite all of this," he finished, "I'm expecting a full recovery."

"Thank God," Mrs. Vega said.

"Since she hasn't woken up yet," the doctor continued, "she's going to be checked on often. The last thing we need is for her to fall into a coma."

"May we see her?" Mr. Vega asked.

The doctor nodded. "Room 112. She's in the ICU, though, so one visitor at a time – " he looked pointedly at the group of teens - "and ten minutes total."

"Got it. Thank you for everything."

* * *

Tori's friends were very reluctant to go to school the next day. The everyday dramas of Hollywood Arts had just gotten worse as rumors were spread of the kidnapping and the car accident.

"Ugh. Can't all of this go away for one day? One day, is all I'm asking," Andre said as he, Beck, Cat, Robby, and Jade made their way to their Drama class. "I've got a headache like none other from lack of sleep. And on top of that my Grandma called me in the middle of the night, saying she saw someone following her when she got up to go to the bathroom. Turns out it was her shadow. Anyway, this is the last thing I need."

"All of that and we weren't even able to see her," Robby said.

"Family should come first, and her family happened to take up all ten minutes," Beck said. "She wasn't conscious, anyway."

"I'm sure we'll be able to see her soon," Andre added. "Maybe after school. Now come on. We've got to get to class."

Beck pushed open the door – but it barely opened.

"What's wrong?" Jade asked.

"Someone's blocking the door." Beck pushed again, but only succeeded in opening it another inch. Finally, each of them, one by one, squeezed through the door. A crowd of their classmates had formed in the doorway. "Hey, what's the big idea? Come on, let us through," Andre said.

"I'll take care of this," Jade said. She cleared her throat. "If you value your lives, you'll all move now." A path instantly formed for the group.

"For once I appreciate your spitefulness," Andre said.

"I'm going to ignore that for now."

As they made their way to the front of the mob of students, they stopped as they saw two policemen wrestling with their substitute teacher.

"Let me go!" Mr. Hanson growled.

"Stop resisting," a policeman said.

"Oh my gosh! What's going on?" Cat asked.

"Hanson is getting arrested. They think he's involved in Vega's kidnapping!" a girl said.

Tori's friends stared in amazement. Mr. Hanson was taking on two armed policemen single handedly, and winning.

"Tase him!" a student yelled.

"Come on, take him down already!" another student added.

"Fight like a man! Come on!" Cheering continued to break out amongst the crowd.

"All Hollywood Arts students, out of the classroom _now."_ Lane appeared as if from nowhere. "Come on. Get out now."

Slowly and reluctantly, the students filed out of the classroom.

"So if we can't go to class, what are we supposed to do?" one of the students asked.

"Everyone wait in the foyer. We'll get something worked out." Lane disappeared into his office.

"This is crazy," Andre said. "Not one but two teachers involved in this? Can this get any more strange?"

As if on cue, Sinjin walked in wearing the craziest hat they had ever seen, accompanied by pants that lit up and a shirt that was two sizes too small. All they could do was stare.

Sinjin looked at them. "What?" he asked, as if what he was wearing was the most normal thing in the world.

Andre shook his head. "Nothin', Sinjin. Just…we're just chillin'," he replied.

Sinjin shrugged then walked off.

"That's…disturbing," Jade said.

"I'm going to have nightmares about this tonight," Robby groaned.

"They should take him to prison for violating a major fashion rule."

"What rule is that?"

"Shirts that tight on a boy like him? I don't think so." Jade slung her book bag over her shoulder. "I vote we ditch. Who's with me?"

The other exchanged glances, and then shrugged. "Let's do it. But where would we go?"

"We'll decide that once we're in the car," Jade replied. She eyed Rex. "He stays here."

"Hey, he's a part of this group, too!"

"He stays or you're walking. And it's awfully cold outside."

"Fine," Robby replied.

"I'm driving. Whoever's coming with, get going; I'm leaving." Jade confidently pushed through the double doors leading to the parking lot with countless other students – even those not included in their small group – in tow.

* * *

They ended up at the hospital. At first, they were refused admittance into Tori's room – only immediately family was allowed in her room unless permission was given by the patient's parents. Fortunately, Mrs. Vega happened to be at the hospital with her daughter. After a quick conversation with the nurse, they were allowed in.

Tori still hadn't gained consciousness.

"She's been out for over a full day now. Shouldn't the doctors do something?" Beck asked.

"They're going to do a CAT scan this afternoon if she isn't awake by noon," Mrs. Vega replied.

Now, at quarter to twelve, Beck was left alone in her room.

He was almost scared to even take her hand. The sight of all of the wires and tubes and IVs scared him. It made her seem much more fragile than before. He sighed heavily.

"I wish you were awake. There's so much I need to tell you. I've realized a lot after you went missing, and –" he shook head and sighed. "This is useless," he mumbled. He squeezed her hand gently then turned to leave. It was then that he noticed Jade in the doorway.

He expected her to say something – maybe something sarcastic even. He expected her to lash out, but instead, her face remained surprisingly somber, and the only look in her eyes was that of real worry. Beck sighed as the two of them turned back to Tori, who remained motionless in the hospital bed.

"Do you think she's going to be alright?" Jade asked.

"I don't know," Beck replied honestly. "We'll just have to wait and see."

Jade smirked. "I told Andre that 'wish upon a star' thing was stupid," she muttered.

Beck smiled for the first time in a long time. "It's time to turn to something more powerful than wishing on a star," he said.

"And what's that?"

"Prayer."

They stood there a moment longer. Finally, Beck softly said, "Come on. Let's go home."


	6. Chapter 6

Thanks goes to Bade for the idea :)

Just quick A/N: I'll try to involve Sikowitz and his accomplices more in the upcoming chapters, along with more romance between Beck and Tori.

Next chapter's up! Enjoy.

* * *

The doctors performed a full-body CAT scan at twelve thirty that afternoon. By one o'clock, the results were in – and they were not good.

"Kidney failure? You're sure?"

The doctor nodded solemnly. "While we were checking for head trauma, we also found that her kidneys had been injured during the accident. One of them completely gave out, and the second is practically useless. She'll need a kidney transplant as soon as possible, or it could be fatal."

Mrs. Vega broke down. As her husband tried to comfort her, Mr. Vega asked, "How long is the wait for a transplant?"

"It could be several months before a donor is available. There are many patients ahead of Ms. Vega on the list. There is the possibility that a family member or friend can become a donor if they prove to be a compatible match to Ms. Vega."

"How do we do that?"

"A blood test will need to be done. If there is a negative cross match result, we will move on to the second step, which is a psychosocial and medical exam. If everything turns out alright there, we will do a CT scan on the donor. Finally, if the donor proves to be compatible and eligible, we will then set up a date for surgery."

Mr. Vega exchanged looks with his wife before turning to the doctor. "We'd like to be tested."

* * *

Erwin Sikowitz and John Hanson were both taken in for questioning.

"Mr. Hanson. Your accomplice has already confessed to everything. Is there anything you would like to say?"

"He's a rat. He's always been a rat. I swear, I'll kill him," Hanson snarled.

The detective ignored the comment for the moment. "He said you were hired to kidnap Tori Vega. Who were the people who hired you? _Why_ did they hire you?"

Hanson did not reply.

"If you cooperate the sentencing will be much lighter on you, Mr. Hanson."

But John Hanson remained silent.

* * *

"So let me get this straight. There are three people in Vega's family."

"Correct."

"And not even one of them is compatible to give up their kidney."

"Right."

Andre shook his head. "That girl can pick up the worst luck sometimes."

"Definitely." Beck slammed his locker shut and they started walking toward the lunch area.

"So what do they do now?"

"I guess they'll have to wait for a donor. But the wait is several months. Anything can happen within that time span."

"Unless…"

Beck glanced at Andre. "Unless what?"

"One of us could be a donor. Or at least _try_ to be a donor."

"Can unrelated people be a donor?"

"Definitely. If everything turns out alright, that is."

"So some random person could donate a kidney to a complete stranger?" Jade asked dubiously.

"Yeah."

Suddenly, Cat ran up to the group. "Did you hear what happened to Tori?" she gasped.

"Yeah, Cat. Trina told us this morning. She came to school sobbing – apparently it's pretty bad," Andre replied.

"It's gotten worse," Cat said.

They expected her to continue - obviously she knew something the others had yet to learn. But instead, she sighed and took a seat at their lunch table and calmly began eating.

"Cat, what happened?" Beck snapped.

"Oh! Tori's in the emergency room again. Apparently she's been having a lot of trouble breathing, and most of the time, she's completely out of it."

Andre sighed. "I hate to admit it, but it doesn't sound like she's going to make it the several months it'll take for a donor."

"Don't be so pessimistic," Beck replied.

"Maybe you shouldn't be so _optimistic,"_ Robby retorted. "That way, when the obvious happens, you won't be as disappointed."

Beck said nothing, but instead pushed his tray away.

Jade had been unusually quiet throughout their lunch. She finally wordlessly got up, taking her tray with her.

"What are you going?" Robby asked.

"Away from here." She threw her trash away then went inside.

* * *

Winter break was fast approaching. While most students spent their time in the library or cooped up in their room, their noses buried in books, Beck found himself neglecting his studies and instead visiting Tori.

She had finally woken up and was able to communicate, though she was still very weak. School was coming to an end for the semester for many people, yet there she was, sick and helpless in a hospital bed. It wasn't until the beginning of the second week she spent in the hospital that her friends began to realize just how ill she really was.

School had just been released. The students of Hollywood Arts had taken their last final before their winter break began. Beck went straight from the school to the hospital.

When he went past the nurse's desk, she simply smiled and nodded – he had come to the hospital so often that the nurse secretly allowed him through without his ID when the supervisor was not near. Beck returned the smile and continued to Tori's room.

Her door was shut. For a moment, he found himself hesitating. After everything he had heard, he was almost scared to see her in her condition. Finally, he sighed heavily before knocking on the door.

"Come in."

He pushed open the door. His breath caught at what he saw.

Tori was very pale. She was sitting up in bed, propped up by several pillows and surrounded by thin white sheets. A heart monitor now stood beside her bed, and she had been put on oxygen. Yet as their eyes met, Beck couldn't help but think that she looked absolutely beautiful.

She smiled at him. "Hey," she said. "I thought Andre was having a party this afternoon. Aren't you going?"

Beck pulled up a seat next to her bed. "I wouldn't miss out on seeing my favorite girl on the first day of winter break," he said. He took her hand gently.

It had only been a few days since Beck had gathered the courage to confess his feelings to Tori. He had gone in completely prepared to ruin a friendship, but instead came out with so much more.

"How are you doing?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Better than I was," she said. "But I've definitely been better."

"Everyone has missed you at school. We were hoping you'd be out of here before break started."

"It's all Sikowitz's fault," Tori said. She shook her head. "Who would have thought he would do something like this?"

"He always has been a little creepy." When Tori shot him a look, Beck said, "Alright, really creepy. But that may explain it."

"Just a little bit."

Silence fell between the two for several moments. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.

"Come in."

The door swung open and Cat stuck her head in the doorway. "Hey, Tori. You're awake. Great!"

"Hey, Cat. What's up?"

"Hang on." She went back in the hallway. A moment later, she returned. But she wasn't alone.

Andre, Robby, Jade, and, to her surprise, Sinjin, all came piling into the room. "Surprise!" Andre said.

"Hey, guys. What's all of this?" Tori tried to push herself up further in the bed.

Andre replied, "We knew you were stuck in this crazy place and wouldn't be able to make it to the party – "

"– so we brought the party to you," Cat finished.

"Aw, you guys are the best," Tori said.

Andre grinned. "So let's get this party started!" he said.

Within minutes, the dull room had been transformed into a party room, much to the displeasure of the nurses. Streamers hung from the ceiling; balloons were tied to the railing of Tori's bed, and two-Liters of clear-colored soda were brought in.

The nurse on duty frowned when she saw the decorations.

"Come on. It's winter break. Christmas is coming up."

"We really aren't supposed to let you do this…" she said.

"She's a sick girl. She's been cooped up here for weeks. Can't you give her a break?"

The nurse sighed. "We'll allow it this once. Just…keep it quiet."

The party wasn't much – it mostly consisted of talking about school and winter break plans. However, it was enough to completely change the mood of the otherwise dreary hospital room.

"So you're going to Colorado?"

Andre nodded. "We were going to leave as soon as I got out of school today, but I managed to hold off my parents for a couple more days."

"Why would you want to 'hold them off'?" Robby asked.

"The party, of course." He grinned. "I wanted to spend a little time with my friends before going to Colorado."

"We're all flattered, but I'm sure you'll have much more fun in there than here celebrating winter break in a hospital room," Tori responded.

"My grandma's coming with us."

"Oh."

As the group talked, Jade found herself watching Beck and Tori. The way he looked at her, and the way her face seemed to light up when he was around her, made it very clear that they really were in love.

Jade thought of the wait for a kidney transplant. The possibility she wouldn't make it seemed high if they didn't find a donor quickly. And as much as Jade disliked Tori, Jade knew she wouldn't be able to see Beck go through the loss of someone he cared deeply about.

She picked up her purse. "I'll be right back," she said.

She walked down the long hallway. Nurses were dropping off food in patients' rooms. A woman and a small child were walking down the hallway carrying a huge bouquet of flowers and a 'Get Well Soon' balloon. Doctors were wheeling a patient back to her room. Jade didn't acknowledge any of it, but instead continued on.

She marched up to the front desk.

"Can I help you?" an elderly woman asked in a kind voice.

Jade took a deep breath. "Yes," she said finally. "I'd like to become a kidney donor."


	7. January & February

Sorry it took so long to update. Finals week and all pushed my updating back quite a ways. Enjoy the next chapter! :)

By the way, in order to be factually correct by the California law, Jade will have to be eighteen in order to be a kidney donor; therefore, the entire group in this story will be eighteen, not sixteen as I originally stated in chapter 2.

* * *

"Jade, you can't be serious."

Jade closed her locker and walked down the hallway toward her class.

"I really don't think you know what you're getting into."

She went into her drama classroom and took a seat in one of the empty chairs. She set her book bag down before turning to Beck, who stood in front of her.

"I know exactly what I'm getting into."

"You hate Tori," Beck said bluntly.

"I'm not doing this for _her,"_ she replied. Before Beck could reply, she continued, "Why do you seem so set on talking me out of this, anyway?"

Beck shook his head. "Of course I'm grateful you're doing it. I mean, you're saving Tori's life. I just – I don't know."

"Don't worry about me. Just smile and say thank you," she replied.

"Thank you."

The door slammed shut then. A short man with dark hair and matching eyes strode to the front of the room. Under one arm was a folder stuffed full of papers; under the other was a thick book. He set both down on the floor beside him and took his place at the front of the room.

"Everyone take a seat, please. Now. I will be your long-term substitute until a permanent teacher is found for the remaining spring semester. My name is Mr. Smith."

The door opened again. In the doorway stood a much taller man with a very grave expression on his face. Their substitute nodded slightly, then the man came forward to the front of the room. "This is Detective Straus. He will be pulling a few of you out individually to speak with you."

The detective nodded then looked at a list he held in his hand. "I'll first need Beck Oliver to come with me, please."

As Beck stood, Mr. Smith said, "As for the rest of you, let's get started with class."

* * *

Over the next few weeks, Tori and Jade were both tested physically and mentally. Everything matched up perfectly; all of the necessary interviews went well. Everything was working out for them.

The night before the transplant, Beck visited Tori in the hospital.

The hospital was almost completely silent except for the heart monitor next to Tori's bed, and the occasional sound of a gurney being wheeled down the hallway. Everything was peaceful.

Tori had moved to the far left side of her bed; Beck lay next to her, completely ignoring the nurse's disapproval. As Beck wrapped his arm around her, she rested her head gently against his chest. The steady beat of his heart was soothing. For the first time in weeks, she felt completely relaxed.

"Are you scared?" he asked.

It was a long time before she answered. "A little," she said finally. She paused then said, "Alright, a lot."

Beck kissed the top of her head. "Everything will be fine," he said. "You'll be out of this hospital in no time after tomorrow."

She smiled. She snuggled closer to him. "Thank you for coming tonight. I know this isn't the way you want to spend your Friday night."

"Don't be crazy. I'm fine."

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. Before either of them could answer, the door opened and Jade walked in. She stopped short as she saw the Beck and Tori in bed.

She rolled her eyes. "You've been together barely a month and you're already sleeping with him?" She set her purse down.

"Jade…" Beck began, but she stopped him.

"I just came to check on one of my test results. Andre knew I was coming here and gave me this –" she held out a small pot with colorful flowers in it, "– to give to you. So here." She set the plant down on the bedside table then turned to leave. "I need to get out of here before I change my mind."

"You don't have to do this," Tori said. "They can put my name on the waiting list and you won't have to deal with any of this."

Jade scoffed. "You and I both know you won't make it long enough to get a transplant if you wait for another donor."

Suddenly, a nurse came in. "I'm sorry, but there are too many –"

"I was just leaving," Jade cut her off. She picked up her purse. "You two love birds have fun."

"Why does she hate me?" Tori asked once the door closed behind Jade.

"There aren't that many people she likes," Beck said. "Don't feel too bad." He stood up. "You should get some sleep. You've got a big day tomorrow."

"Alright."

Beck squeezed her hand gently. "Everything will be fine," he said.

"I know."

He kissed her hand before leaving the room.

Tori sighed and closed her eyes. _Everything will be fine._

She fell asleep quickly, dreaming of dancing center stage in Beck's arms and truly finally falling.

* * *

During their third week in prison, Joe Hanson finally decided to talk. Patiently, he answered each of the detective's unanswered questions. Slowly, the story behind Tori Vega's kidnapping came out.

"It all began last year. One of my old classmates, Erwin Sikowitz, came to me and said his stepbrother, Sam Slater, had just been murdered in a prison fight. Now, his brother happened to be one of my closest friends, so of course this particular news was upsetting. The two of us decided to do something about it."

He paused for a moment before continuing. "We knew the officer who arrested Sam was Officer Vega. We knew right away what to do. Sikowitz had every day access to Vega's daughter. He also had the advantage of knowing everything that went on in the student body, including weekend plans, student outings, etcetera, which is why he knew where she would be the Saturday night she went missing."

"So you followed her to the party?" a detective asked.

"Yeah, we followed her. We fully planned on staking out the entire night if we had to, but we got lucky. About twenty minutes into the party, she came out – alone. Perfect. Sikowitz grabbed her, drugged her, then shoved her in the back seat of her own car. A few minutes later, we were off."

"Why did you take Ms. Vega's car? You obviously had your own."

"In case we had to ditch one before we made it to our destination, which we had to do eventually. When we heard the news broadcast alerting people to look out for her car, we knew we had to get rid of it. I took the car out that night to a lake not far from her house and pushed it into the water. Not only did it throw the police off, but it got rid of any evidence that may have been left by the two of us."

"That was Monday. That same night the body of a woman identified as Allison Walker was found a few miles away from the lake Tori Vega's car was found in. That couldn't be a coincidence, could it, Mr. Hanson?"

Hanson shook his head. "We had nothing to do with that," he replied. "Another man we hired did."

"You hired someone else?"

"Yeah. See, Sikowitz had his job at Hollywood Arts so he couldn't stay with Tori around the clock. At first, when he went to work, I was put in charge of keeping an eye on her. We soon realized that it was risky doing this – if something ever came up at the same time, no one would be back at the house with the girl. So we got two more friends in on the kidnapping.

"The two of them were left alone for the first time the night before you found that body. Sikowitz had a school function to tend to and I had other business to take care of. Unfortunately, the two _fools_ we hired got in a fight that night." Hanson sighed. "Thomas – the man we hired - had a gun, and the next thing we knew, we had a murder on our hands."

"So you ditched her body," the detective prodded.

"Yeah. Sikowitz was furious. He said he didn't care what we did with the body, as long as we got rid of it without leaving evidence behind, which is exactly what we did."

"What happened next?"

"Everything went downhill from here. The ransom was screwed up after Thomas forgot to make the phone call to the Vega's house. We decided to move locations before calling with our demands again. Before we could get anywhere, though, we had a head-on collision with another truck." He shrugged. "You know what happened from there."

The detective nodded then stood. "Thank you for your cooperation, sir. It's very much appreciated, and I'm sure it will help you somewhat in court." He gathered all of his papers and folders before leaving the room. A moment later, an officer came in to take Hanson back to his cell.

* * *

The transplant took place at eight o'clock the next morning. Jade arrived at seven thirty, and everyone else shortly after.

Before the surgery, Tori's family visited her. The entire time they were in her room, Beck watched the clock carefully.

"Just go in there. I'm sure her family won't mind," Andre said.

Beck shook his head. "Her family should be with her right now," he said.

"You know you want to see her. Just go."

"Andre..."

Andre shrugged. "Your loss."

Beck rolled his eyes and took a seat in one of the waiting room chairs. A moment later, as if she had somehow read his mind, Trina came out of her sister's room and approached him.

"Tori's asking for you," she said.

He certainly did not have to be told twice. As Trina took a seat in one of the empty chairs, Beck walked back to Tori's room.

Her parents had already left the room. The two of them were, once again, left alone. When she saw him, she gave him a weak smile.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey," he responded. He perched on the edge of her bed and took her hand gently. "Are you ready?"

She sighed. "As ready as I'll ever be," she said.

He leaned down and kissed her. "Just think, after this you'll be good as new. You'll be out of here and back at school, back with your friends, back to normal."

"Or at least what's normal for Hollywood Arts," she responded with a smile. He returned the smile, knowing just how true that statement was.

They were both quiet for a long moment. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. "Alright, Ms. Vega," a doctor said. "We're ready."

Beck stood. "It's going to be okay," he said. She nodded. The doctors put up the rails on the side of the bed, preparing to wheel her down to surgery.

"Tori?"

"Yeah?"

Beck met her eyes. "I love you."

Tori's breath caught.

Their first _I love you_. It wasn't like she had ever expected it. It wasn't during a date, or even in a romantic environment by any means. Yet, the moment was perfect.

She squeezed his hand gently and responded, "I love you, too."


	8. February & March

I'm sad to say that the end of this story is fast approaching. One more chapter after this. Thank you all so very much for all of the reviews and support I've gotten while writing this story. I really appreciate it all.

When there's a change of month within the story, I've changed the chapter title so it's hopefully easier to keep up with the constant time changes.

Hopefully you all aren't disappointed with the end of this chapter. I've had writer's block for a while that has totally driven me crazy, so I tried my best at this.

Enjoy the next chapter!

* * *

"The surgery was successful."

Those four words, the words each and every family member and friend of Jade and Tori's had been longing for, came after three hours of restless waiting. Almost immediately, the heavy feelings of stress and worry were lifted and replaced by relief.

As soon as Jade and Tori were allowed visitors, both families were there, filling up every inch of space in the two small recovery rooms. The only people left in the waiting room were their friends.

"Do you think they'll let us see Tori?" Cat asked.

"Not until her family leaves, or until they put her into a regular room," Andre replied.

"We may as well leave, then," Robby said. "She won't be in a regular room tonight."

"You never know." Andre opened his backpack and pulled out a portable keyboard piano. He began playing some unnamed, upbeat song. After playing a few notes he paused, feeling his friends' eyes on him. He looked up. "What?"

"You carry a piano with you?" Robby asked.

"Yeah." Andre continued his song.

"I was wondering why you brought a backpack to a hospital."

Andre ignored the comment and continued playing. "You can't go wrong with music. When everything else seems to go to the dumps, or even when things are going better than ever before, music is always there for you. It's one of the only stable things in life. It's something you can always depend on."

Suddenly, Jade's family filed into the waiting room, followed by Tori's family. "If someone wants to go in, the nurses are allowing a few more minutes for visitors," Mr. Vega said.

Andre, Cat, and Robby looked at Beck in unison. "Beck should go."

Beck, who had been completely silent since the moment they first walked into the waiting room, looked up. "Are you sure?"

Andre gave him a small smile and patted him on the back. "Yeah. You should be in there with her." He turned back to his piano and began playing a familiar tune.

Beck stood and left the room. The melody of _Finally Falling_ followed him down the long hallway.

* * *

"So. You're good as new, then?"

Tori smiled. "Good as new," she replied.

Beck kissed her gently before taking a seat beside her bed. "That's great."

"The doctor said I should be out of here within a few days." Tori winced as she pushed herself up in the hospital bed. "Then back to school in a few weeks."

"So you'll be back for the last month of school?"

"Most likely. If everything goes well with the recovery process."

"It will." He kissed her again. "I'm glad you're okay."

She returned his kiss.

"I love you," he murmured.

"I love you, too."

Suddenly, the young couple heard the sound of a piano playing a cheerful tune. The sound was coming closer. Beck sighed and sat back in his chair. "Andre's coming," he said with a smile.

As if on cue, Andre appeared in the doorway. "Hey, Tori," he said.

"Hey, Andre," she replied. "Um, may I ask what's up with the piano?"

"I figured this place needed a little cheering up. What better way to do that than to play some music."

"You would."

"I did, and I am." As he played a soft tune, he asked, "So how do you feel?"

"Really well, for just getting out of surgery," she replied.

"We're all looking forward to you coming back to school, especially since we're almost home free."

"That's right. Three more months and we're out of here," Beck said.

"You know, despite everything I've been through at that school, I've got to say it's going to be hard to say goodbye. I don't know what it is, but it just feels like home there. It feels like somewhere I belong."

"You do belong there," Andre said. "You've got talent. No matter what anyone says, no matter what you think, there's no denying that you've got talent." Tori smiled in response.

Suddenly, a nurse came bustling into the room. "Alright, everyone out. This girl needs her rest!" she said cheerfully.

As the nurse left, everyone said their good-byes, promising to visit often as soon as she was released. Finally, only Beck was left.

"You should come back tomorrow, when they have Jade and me in a regular room," she said.

"I can't tomorrow," Beck said apologetically. "But how about as soon as you're out of here, we find a way to celebrate."

Tori smiled. She leaned forward and kissed him. When they finally parted, she said, "Sounds good."

* * *

"Drive by acting exercise. You're all cranky elderly men and women in a retirement home. Action!"

"I swear, that music is louder than a mouse in a house!" Andre said.

"Oooh, I love mice! They're so cute!" Cat exclaimed.

"Who cares about the mouse? Turn the music down before I turn it down for you, you hooligans!" Beck said.

"Hey! Who stole my ointment? I need it for my –" Robby began, but was cut off.

"Alright, alright, that's enough. Take your seats." As the students sat down, Mr. Smith said, "That's got to be the poorest impersonation of the elderly I have ever seen."

"Um…thanks?" Andre said.

"That wasn't a compliment. Now everyone get quiet. We've got a lot to learn today."

Andre raised his hand.

"Yes, Andre?"

"Are you always so annoying?"

"Yes," Mr. Smith snapped. "Quiet now. We've got a lot of work to do."

* * *

After four weeks of recovering, Jade returned to school.

Before the transplant, many saw her as harsh and rude; now, however, she was seen as so much more. She was not the selfish, tough girl she once was, but instead she was seen as a hero – someone who was willing to take the chance of a failed medical procedure to save another student.

"Ugh, I swear if one more person asks me how I'm feeling, I'm going to hit them," she said. She took a seat at one of the lunch tables and set her tray down. Beck, Andre, Cat, and Robby took a seat next to her.

"What you did is amazing," Robby replied. "Everyone looks up to you now. I mean, most teenagers wouldn't take the risk of a failed surgery, or the pain or recovery process. You're practically a hero now, and to someone you used to hate."

"I never hated Tori, I just…didn't like her," Jade replied.

"They're just being nice. Can't you be grateful for that?" Robby said.

Jade glared. "I'd watch it if I were you." She sighed and picked at her salad.

Someone suddenly screamed. Everyone looked toward the source. Someone was standing at the trashcan completely drenched in some sort of liquid. A girl stood in front of her holding a now-empty coffee mug, glaring at the other student.

"Oh, no," Andre muttered.

Beck shook his head. "It's just a fight. Someone will break it up before anything gets serious."

Jade raised her eyebrows and opened her mouth to say something, but thought better of it and closed it again.

Suddenly, Beck caught sight of someone else, just stepping outside. She looked around the large commons area, obviously looking for someone in particular. His breath caught.

"Tori!" Cat nearly screamed. She ran toward her friend, nearly knocking her down as they hugged. A moment later, the two were surrounded by the others.

"Hey, Lil Red. Let the girl breathe!" Andre said. As Cat backed away, Andre grinned and took her place.

"Good to have you back," he said.

"Great to be back."

Beck stepped forward. Their eyes met, and her smile seemed to brighten. Wordlessly, he took her in his arms. She closed her eyes.

This was how it was supposed to be – surrounded by those who care about you, and in the arms of the person you love. She lifted her head for a kiss.

Someone cleared their throat. Beck and Tori pulled apart.

"Jade's coming," Robby said.

Beck took a deep breath before turning to face his former girlfriend. However, as Jade came to a stop only inches away from the two, her face held no anger or jealousy. Instead, her expression was completely blank. Everyone was silent as they waited for the fireworks to start.

Suddenly, Jade gave them a small, almost sad smile. "It's fine," she said. "I've had a lot of time to think about this, and –" she sighed, " – I'm fine."

Maybe it was instinct, or maybe it was habit, but Beck took her in his arms then. She hesitated a moment then wrapped her arms around him.

"Thank you," Beck said. "Thank you for everything."

Jade pulled back. "It was nothing," she said. She took a breath. "I hope you two are happy."

And with that, she picked up the book bag she had set down and walked away, never once looking back.


	9. May

Thank you all so very, very much for all of the reviews. I appreciate them all.

Disclaimer: I do not own Victorious or any songs used in this story.

And now, here it is: the final chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

Two months later, they graduated.

The ceremony was unlike any other graduation ceremony, with live musical performances by students and the craziest speeches anyone can imagine, including one by Sinjin, who surprised everyone – every single student in Hollywood Arts and most of the parents – by being Valedictorian.

After, Tori hosted a graduation party at the Vega's home. The entire house was decorated. A huge banner that said "Congratulations Graduate!" hung on one of the walls in the living room; a table on the opposite side of the room was piled high with presents, and streamers hung from the ceiling. But out of everything, the backyard was the most popular area.

Tables and chairs had been set up in the lawn, each lined with white tablecloth and finished off with a centerpiece. In the center of the lawn a home-made dance floor had been set up and was already full of guests.

"Tori. Hey," a familiar voice said.

Tori turned. "Jade, you made it." The two of them hugged.

Jade smiled. "Of course. Wouldn't miss it. Congrats."

"Same to you."

Several months ago, Tori would not have considered inviting someone who had done everything she could to make her school life hell. But something changed in those few months. All of the anger and jealousy that had been held between the two over the past few years was gone, now replaced by what could almost be called a friendship.

"Jade, thank you for everything. I can't even tell you how grateful I am for what you did. I know it couldn't have been easy on you."

Jade shrugged it off. "Like I told Beck, it was nothing. I'm just glad everything worked out." She looked around the lawn. "Looks like the party's going strong. Hope I didn't miss much." She removed the high-heels she had put on earlier for the ceremony. Then, without another word, she walked away and disappeared in the crowd of dancers.

"Tori!" Cat squealed. She appeared as if from nowhere.

"Hey, Cat," Tori said. They hugged briefly before Cat pulled away.

"I got you a gift!" she said. She nodded toward the table. "I put it with the others."

Tori smiled. "I'm sure I'll love it."

"We're graduates! Can you believe it? We're just that much closer to fame."

"I know. It's exciting."

"Where are you going to college?"

"Beck and I were accepted into Tisch School of the Arts."

"In New York? That's so far. How am I going to visit you?" Cat pouted. "I'm staying here in California."

"Ah, don't worry. We'll keep in touch."

"Of course. Oooh, I just got these awesome pens from SkyStore! They glow in the dark!"

"That's awesome. But...when would you be writing in the dark?"

"It came with matching paper. Bright, bright pink paper. And envelopes! It's amazing."

"Well, now we've got a way to keep in touch, don't we?" Tori replied with a smile.

"Oh, hey, did you see Sinjin? He's taken over your DJ stand."

Their gaze went to the table that had been set up for the DJ. Sinjin stood there, disk in hand, ready to change the song. Their hired DJ was nowhere in sight.

"Eh, that's fine. I figured he would. Don't worry – all of the Disco music is out of sight."

Suddenly Andre came up to the two. "Hey, Cat. Tori. Great party."

"Thanks." Tori sighed. "I think everyone's having a good time."

Andre scanned the crowd of guests. "Where's Beck?"

"He said he has to take care of something before the party." Tori glanced at her watch. "He should be here any time now."

A new song came over the speakers. The group paused and listened before Andre grinned. "_Make it Shine_," he said. "Excellent song, if I do say so myself."

Tori rolled her eyes.

"This song…we've gotta dance. If you don't mind, that is," Andre said.

Tori returned his grin. "Let's go."

They pushed their way through the crowd until they found a more open space. Then, they danced. It was an upbeat, fun song – the type that everyone could get into, no matter how well they danced. Andre had just playfully spun Tori when suddenly, the entire mood seemed to change.

_The sharp prick of a needle, piercing her skin._

Another twirl.

_Intense, unbearable burning. _

_Someone's strong arms, catching her as she fell into a darkness._

"Tori." Andre's voice brought her out of her flashback. His eyes were full of worry. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Just – wondering where Beck is, that's all."

"Right," Andre said slowly. Her cover was poor, yet he didn't pry for details. Instead, he said, "Maybe you should sit down for a while." She nodded reluctantly in agreement.

Before Andre could lead her to the nearest empty chair, someone suddenly slipped their arm around Tori's waist. "Hey, sorry I'm late," Beck said. He kissed her cheek. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, don't worry. Did you get everything worked out?"

Beck nodded. "Everything's settled."

Tori wrapped her arms around him. "So what did you have to do?"

"It's a surprise." He kissed her then took her hand. "Come on. Let's dance."

Many guests had left the dance floor and were socializing at one of the many tables or lingering inside. It had gone dark and one by one, beautiful stars lit the evening sky. The heat was gone and it was surprisingly cool for the normal May weather.

Beck took Tori in his arms. She let herself completely relax as they danced to the song that seemed to start it all.

_Suddenly, my choice is clear_

_I knew that only you and I were standing here_

_And beautiful is all I see_

_It's only you, I know it's true_

_It has to be_

"This brings back so many memories," she said.

"Yeah, it does."

"Cat and her makeup." Tori rolled her eyes.

Beck grinned. "You've got to admit it was a little entertaining."

_Suddenly I see what I didn't before_

_And I don't care what they think anymore_

_Cause I'm finally falling. _

Tori returned the grin. "Maybe for _you_, but certainly not for me."

_I'm falling, falling. _

Beck kissed her forehead. "You still looked cute doing it though."

"Thanks." She sighed. "So this surprise I'm supposed to be getting…"

"Right. So you can choose to either get it now, or later wh –"

"I choose now."

"I figured. Be right back."

Beck went into the house. Through the kitchen window Tori could see him briefly speak to her parents before coming back outside. As he approached her again she looked at him curiously.

"What was that all about?"

"Your surprise." He glanced over at the DJ's table and nodded slightly at Andre. The music changed to a soft tune. Beck looked straight into Tori's eyes and never broke his gaze as he spoke.

"Tori, we've known each other three years and dated for six months. Months ago, when you went missing, I came to realize I can't imagine life without you. I don't want to live my life without you."

Beck removed a small, blue velvet box from his suit jacket pocket. Inside it was a ring. A small yet beautiful diamond winked back at her.

"It's a promise ring," he said. His voice faltered for the first time as he continued. It was the first time in a long time she had seen him so nervous. "Tori Vega, I love you and I promise to stay with you until the time is right to take our relationship further. Will you accept this ring?"

"Yes," she answered immediately.

Beck released a heavy sigh of relief. He slipped the ring on Tori's left ring finger. She then threw her arms around him excitedly.

"I love you," she said.

"I love you, too. So much." They shared a kiss. They pulled away as someone suddenly began clapping. The clapping grew louder.

"Alright, alright, give 'em some privacy. This is a very special moment," Trina said. "Smile."

Before either of them could do anything, Tori's sister snapped a picture. She gave a curt wave and quickly went inside, going straight to Mr. and Mrs. Vega.

"Your sister's crazy," Beck murmured.

"I know."

"Alright, everyone! Grab your 'significant other' and get to the dance floor. This song is for the couples out there!" the DJ announced.

Beck kissed Tori again before extending his hand to her. "May I have this dance?"

Tori smiled. "Absolutely."

Beck held her close, then. She rested her head against his shoulder as they swayed to the music. Around them, hundreds of stars shone brightly from above. Nothing else mattered right then.

Two years ago, Tori danced in front of a full house with Beck, thinking any girl in the world would be lucky to be with him. After two years, she became that girl.

She closed her eyes. For the first time in a long time, she finally felt complete.

* * *

Voila. Complete. I hope you all enjoyed this story. I might write a sequel. Hm...what do you think? Anyway, thanks for reading! You've been an awesome audience :) 'Til next time...

-a novelist


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